Safety is job one in China. I knew they shouldn’t have hired a smoker to drive that truck.
Chinese highway collapses after fireworks truck explodes, 9 killed
Published: 01 February, 2013, 17:44
Salvage teams are currently at the scene of the incident on the G30 expressway in China’s Henan province. The blast took place at 8:52am local time (00:52 GMT), Chinese state news outlet Xinhua reported, citing local officials.
The massive explosion threw six vehicles into a ravine 30 meters below the raised highway; the survivors were retrieved by emergency teams.
Accidents involving fireworks are relatively commonplace in China around the run up to the Chinese New Year, which will take place on February 10. Enormous quantities of fireworks are transported throughout China, often under unsafe conditions to meet public demand in preparation for the public holiday.
The Ministry of Public Security dispatched a team to the site of the explosion to establish the cause of the blast, Xinhua reported.
In 2006, a fireworks storeroom exploded in Henan province, killing 36 people.
The highway accident has once again drawn attention to Chinese road safety, which has recently been under discussion. Earlier this month, the Chinese government delayed plans to introduce harsher punishments for traffic violations after complaints from the public.
Fatal road accidents are quite common in China. In 2011, over 60,000 people died on China’s roads in accidents that were largely attributed to lax safety regulations.
Rescuers work under the collapsed Yichang bridge near the city of Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province, on February 1, 2013 (AFP Photo / China Out)
Rescuers work at the scene of the collapsed Yichang bridge near the city of Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province, on February 1, 2013 after a fireworks-laden truck exploded as it crossed the bridge killing 26 people as the structure collapsed and vehicles plummeted to the ground, state-run media reported (AFP Photo / China Out)
A rescuer (C) looks for survivors with a dog (C) at the scene of the collapsed Yichang bridge near the city of Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province, on February 1, 2013 after a fireworks-laden truck exploded as it crossed the bridge killing 26 people as the structure collapsed and vehicles plummeted to the ground, state-run media reported (AFP Photo / China Out)
Rescuers work at the scene of the collapsed Yichang bridge near the city of Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province, on February 1, 2013 after a fireworks-laden truck exploded as it crossed the bridge killing 26 people as the structure collapsed and vehicles plummeted to the ground, state-run media reported (AFP Photo / China Out)
Rescuers pull a damaged car at the scene of the collapsed Yichang bridge near the city of Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province, on February 1, 2013 after a fireworks-laden truck exploded as it crossed the bridge killing 26 people as the structure collapsed and vehicles plummeted to the ground, state-run media reported (AFP Photo / China Out)
Eddie says:
Chinese truck driver= Wiley Coyote, Suuuuper Genius.
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4th February 2013 at 3:06 pm
Bostonbob says:
Acme Explosives strikes again.
Bob.
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4th February 2013 at 3:19 pm
Dorkus Maximus says:
I see Chinese construction standards remain unchanged.
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4th February 2013 at 4:01 pm
AWD says:
It’s a Chinese modeling of what happens to our economy when they dump their T-bills.
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4th February 2013 at 4:26 pm
Bostonbob says:
DM,
I am not an engineer, but that will not stop me from speculating. With the height of the support columns and the spans in between, I cannot imagine this type of construction would hold up well in a sizable earthquake. I would love to see the load calculations I bet they do not leave much room for error. I do like the Red Army Towing Co. with there heavey duty ropes and snappy uniforms.
Thank you,
Bob.
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4th February 2013 at 4:33 pm
Makati1 says:
Seems there was a collapse of the interstate in Philly when I lived there a few years ago. Nothing new there. Happens in Californian too. Here are a few:
Some major bridge and highway collapses:
Tuesday: A highway overpass under construction in Oroville, Calif., collapses, crushing a delivery truck and seriously injuring a construction worker who fell 50 feet.
April: A section of freeway that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapses after a gasoline tanker truck overturns and erupts into flames. Only the truck driver is injured.
May 2003: A tractor-trailer slams into a bridge support on Interstate 80 in western Nebraska, sending the bridge crashing down onto the truck and killing the driver.
May 2002: A 500-foot section of a bridge spanning the Arkansas River in Webbers Falls, Okla., collapses and kills 14 people after a barge hits it.
Sept. 2001: The Queen Isabella Causeway in Texas collapses after a tow boat captain loses control of a string of barges and currents drive them into a bridge support. Eight people die when their vehicles plummet 85 feet into the channel.
April 5, 1987: A bridge on the New York State Thruway near Amsterdam, N.Y., gives way, killing 10 people.
May 9, 1980: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay collapses, killing 35 people. A ship hit the bridge during a storm, sending vehicles plummeting into the water.
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4th February 2013 at 10:05 pm
Bostonbob says:
Makati,
What I see is a bunch of old infrustucture poorly cared for, but generally well engineered. In China I see an enormous amount of poorly engineered construction.
Bob.
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4th February 2013 at 11:20 pm
SSS says:
Wait until a Chinese truck driver plunges into a lake or river with a truckload of these Acme bad boys.
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4th February 2013 at 1:08 am
AKAnon says:
On a somewhat related note, a mysterious explosion is under investigation in my neck of the woods. Seems the property owner had a firing range on his property (which is, incidentally, NOT prohibited under borough zoning regs). And he and his buddies were licensed for class 3 (full auto) and for explosives (Is there really a recreational explosives license? Not pyrotechnics, but high-order explosives? Awesome!). So far, no charges have been filed, but the neighbors (with windows blown out and siding knocked off their houses) are pretty pissed. AKAnon has nothing to do with this, I swear! But I am reminded of Bill Murray’s line in Stripes: “I want to party with you, cowboy”.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/article_50c24582-6eaa-11e2-8ca5-0019bb30f31a.html
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4th February 2013 at 2:28 am
BUCKHED says:
I wonder if there is a movement to ban fireworks in China ?
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4th February 2013 at 3:07 pm
BUCKHED says:
Sign on Chinese highway……” No littering,fines up to $100…..Truck driver says “Phuc you and your littering laws”, as he flicks his cigarette out the window of his truck !
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4th February 2013 at 3:14 pm